Voice and motion activated telephone

ABSTRACT

A method and system for communicating without use of manual contact with a communications unit. The user approaches a communications system and can activate a communications unit by a proximity/motion detector and/or a voice activation device. The person can generate audio signals, such as by voice command, to activate the unit and establish contact. Body movements can also be used to connect to a specific location and/or control the communications mode, such as private, semi-private or conference call mode.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation and claims priority from copendingU.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/679,715, filed Oct. 6, 2003, whichitself is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/328,705, filed on Jun. 9, 1999, which is based on U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application No. 60/088,713, filed Jun. 10, 1998.

This invention is concerned generally with a voice and motion activatedcommunications device. More particularly the invention is concerned witha voice and/or motion activated telephone, particularly for use in ahazardous environment.

It is known in the art to have telephones with hands-free speaker madefor use in a business office or even in the home. However, such systemsdo require activation by use of your hands and such systems thus do notallow entirely hands-free operation or activation of a communicationsdevice without manual manipulation of the device.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved communicationsdevice and method of use.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel method of useand communications device activated without manual operation.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved methodand communications device for use in hazardous environments.

It is also another object of the invention to provide a novel method andcommunications device activated for operation by an electromagnetic beamor by other proximity device to sense the presence of a person.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide an improvedmethod and communications device which is activated by voice command andfurther operated and deactivated by voice input alone.

It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a novel methodand communications device which is activated and deactivated by encodedvoice commands or by a voice recognition system.

These and other objects and advantages will be described hereinafter inthe detailed description and illustrated in the drawing describedhereinbelow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective of a system constructed in accordancewith the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A communications system 10 constructed in accordance with an embodimentof the invention is shown in FIG. 1. In the system 10 of FIG. 1, asensor 20, such as for example a conventional infrared beamgenerator/detector device or conventional RF (radio frequency) proximitybeam/sensor system, is used to detect the presence of a person (notshown). This sensor 20 can activate for two-way communication acommunications device 30, such as a telephone, to enable the person tocommunicate to another location within the building or outside thebuilding where the person is located. In another aspect of theinvention, the person can activate the communications device 30 bygenerating particular sound patterns, such as from a sound generatingdevice of any kind or by a person vocalizing certain sound patterns orword patterns or even a single word, a number, a letter or combinationthereof. These sound patterns are detected by conventional audio sensor40 (such as a microphone or other conventional sensor of sound) whichconverts the acoustic waves to an electronic signal for analysis by acomputer. In another form of the invention a combination unit caninclude a video display as part of the audio sensor 40 or just be avideo display alone which can sense the user's image for recognitionpurposes. In addition, the video display 40 can act to transmit orreceive visual information. The computer in turn can perform theanalysis of sound recognition in accordance with a conventional computersoftware program to determine whether or not to generate a command toactivate the two-way communication s device 30. Voice commands can alsobe used in conjunction with the voice recognition modality of thecomputer to connect to certain phone numbers, activate conferencecalling and maintain a call even when the person temporarily leaves thearea of the system 10. This maintenance of a connection can be by anaudio command for a specified time or by the computer for apredetermined time. The person can then proceed to communicate via theaudio sensor and/or video display 40 with responses from the audiosensor and/or the video display 40 and/or a speaker 45, or other suchconventional acoustic output devices. The person can affirmativelydeactivate the system 10 or allow the device itself to deactivate byvirtue of a lack of activity after a predetermined time period in themanner described hereinbefore. In another form of the invention thevideo display 40 can also function to selectively show the second personor their location on the screen. In this manner visual communication canalso be accomplished without need for audio communication. The visualcommunication can even include holographic as well as two dimensionaldisplays.

In another form of the invention, the communications device 30 can alsobe activated by a card reader 60 by the person using a conventionalencoded magnetic card (not shown). The communications process can thenproceed as described hereinbefore.

In a preferred embodiment, the system 10 is used in hazardousenvironments which require a person to be encumbered by protectiveclothing, such as large gloves or even full body covering.

In yet another form of the system 10, the volume level of the speaker 45can be adjusted by the computer sensing the background noise levelthrough the audio sensor 40 or even the visual information on the videodisplay 40. This feature enables the person to hear over the backgroundvoice.

In another aspect of the invention, the system 10 can be made to enter aconference call mode to include other persons by the initial personstepping back and interrupting an infrared beam or RF proximity systemof the sensor 20 and then stepping back again to a position near theaudio sensor 40. Also the person can use other body motions to activatethe conference call mode. In another aspect the video display 40 can beused to carry out these same functions via communication to the computerunit for analysis and processing.

In yet a further aspect of the invention, the person using the system 10could carry out certain body language motions, such as positioning theperson's hand in a certain way, which would be detected by the sensor 20or the video display 40 and/or in combination with voice commands fromthe person the computer can modify the operational state of the system10. For example, the computer could change the device from “on” to “off”or to “private”, “semi-private” or a conferencing mode of communication.

In an additional embodiment, the system 10 can include a payment device70, such as coin slots, a credit card reader, or paper moneyreceptacles, to allow the person to pay for the communication.

In a further feature, the system 10 can include an emergency mode whichallows manual dialing of the communications device 30 if operationwithout manual contact becomes inoperative.

While preferred embodiments have been illustrated and described, itshould be understood that changes and modifications can be made thereinin accordance with one of ordinary skill in the art without departingfrom the invention in its broader aspects. Various features of theinvention are defined in the following claims.

1. A method for a first person communicating with a second person at adistance without using physical contact to activate a communicationsunit, comprising the steps of: a first person approaching a two waycommunications system having a coupled computer with at least a firstperson monitoring device comprising a proximity/motion detector and atleast one of a video displays, a voice-activation device, a speaker andan audio sensor contained in a communications unit; activating thecommunications unit by the first person coming within detectable rangeof the proximity/motion detector within the communications system;initializing the communications unit by at least one of the steps ofinserting payment into a receptacle and inserting an encoded card into acard reader; and generating a signal for connecting to a second personat a distance at a desired communications location thereby causing atleast one of (a) the video display and at least one of (b) the voiceactivation device a speaker and an audio sensor to interact with thecomputer to connect the communications unit to the desiredcommunications location and enable communication between the firstperson and the second person at a distance.
 2. The method as defined inclaim 1 wherein the step stage of generating a signal comprisesgenerating at least one of an audio signal and a video signal.
 3. Themethod as defined in claim 2 wherein the audio signal comprises a userspeaking at least one of a word, a letter, a number and combinationthereof.
 4. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein the video signalcomprises visual information.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein theproximity/motion detector is at least one of an infrared detector and anRF detector.
 6. The method as defined in claim 1 with the communicationsunit further including a video unit for displaying in at least twodimensions at least one of the first person, the second person and thelocation of the first person or the second person.
 7. The method ofclaim 1 further comprising a step for controlling a mode ofcommunication, wherein the mode is selected from a group consisting ofprivate, semi-private, conferencing, maintaining a connection anddisconnecting.
 8. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step forcontrolling volume of voice transmission through voice commands by theperson to the communications unit.
 9. The method of claim 1 furthercomprising a step for controlling volume of voice transmission throughbody movements.
 10. A method for a first person communicating with asecond person at a distance without using physical contact to activate acommunications unit, comprising the steps of: a first person approachinga two way communications system having a coupled computer with at leasta first person monitoring device comprising a proximity/motion detectorand at least one of a video display, a voice-activation device a speakerand an audio sensor contained in a communications unit; activating thecommunications unit by the first person coming within detectable rangeof the proximity/motion detector within the two way communicationssystem; and generating at least one of an audio signal and a visualinformation signal for connecting to a second person at a distance at adesired communications location thereby causing the computer and atleast one of the voice activation device, the speaker and the audiosensor to connect the communications unit to the desired communicationslocation and enable, at least one of voice communication and generatingvideo information by the video display, between the first person and thesecond person at a distance.
 11. The method as defined in claim 10wherein the audio signal comprises the first person and at least one ofspeaking at least one of a word, a letter, a number and combinationsthereof and generating a sound.
 12. The method of claim 1 wherein anestablished communications is automatically terminated after apreprogrammed period of time if no activity is received by the voiceactivation device.
 13. A method for communicating with a second personat another location without using manual contact to activatecommunication by a communications unit, comprising the steps of: a firstperson activating the communications unit by at least one of generatinga particular sound pattern, using a magnetic card. using certain bodylanguage motion. generating an encoded voice, using a voice recognitionsystem, using a voice command, and applying an electromagnetic signal;initializing the communications unit by at least one of the steps ofinserting payment into a receptacle and inserting an encoded card into acard reader; and generating at least one of a video signal and an audiosignal, for communication to a second person at another location, into adata receiver within the communications unit, thereby causing thecommunications unit to connect to the desired another location.
 14. Themethod of claim 13 further including a proximity detector for detectingthe presence of the first person wherein the proximity/motion detectoris an infrared detector.
 15. The method of claim 13 wherein theproximity/motion detector for detecting the presence of the first personis an RF detector.
 16. The method of claim 13 further comprising a stepfor controlling a mode of communication, wherein the mode is selectedfrom a group consisting of private, semi-private, conferencing,maintaining a connection and disconnecting.
 17. The method of claim 13further comprising a step for controlling volume of voice transmissionthrough at least one of voice commands by the person to thecommunications unit and by a computer which senses sound level.
 18. Themethod of claim 13 further comprising a step for controlling volume ofvoice transmission through body movements.
 19. The method of claim 13wherein an established communication is automatically terminated after apreprogrammed period of time if no audio or video activity is sensed bythe unit.
 20. The method of claim 13 further including the step ofadjusting the volume level output by a computer responsive to backgroundnoise level.